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L'Île d'Orléans

The little island in the St Lawrence River, just 15 minutes from
downtown Québec City, is an historical treasure trove
containing 600 heritage buildings. Algonquin natives called the
island 'windigo', meaning 'bewitched corner', before French
colonists arrived in 1535 and named it for the Duke of Orleans. The
island is the ancestral home of more than 300 Quebecois families
and still has more than 7,000 inhabitants. A perimeter road called
The Royal Way, which extends across the Taschereau Bridge to the
mainland, connects all the six villages on the island. Visitors
enjoy cycling or driving around the island to marvel at panoramic
views of the river and explore sites like the oldest church in 'new
France'.